32 team conference

[avid1010]

figured i'd get on here and see discussion about this but didn't...let me know if i'm missing the thread.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/905644-conference-realignment-big-east-mountain-west-conference-usa-mega-conference

[Marqus Howard]

Interesting, but I can't imagine what they would do about basketball...

[GGGG]

This would be for football only.

[brewcity77]

I've heard this, and honestly, it just seems so unwieldy. Would you have a four-team playoff for the one BCS bid? That seems to make the most sense. What would be the odds of getting a BCS at-large berth? I realize that it guarantees someone a berth, but in recent years, you've had the Big East getting their AQ spot and Boise State and TCU getting at-larges. It's essentially shrinking 2.5 bids to 1. And how on earth would revenues be shared? Equal parts for all members? That's going to slim down to some awfully tiny portions by the time you dole out 32 pieces.

I like the idea of keeping our football teams in conference with us and maybe instead adding a couple basketball schools to get back to 16, but man is this monstrous.

[Tulsa Warrior]

As a football only alignment with a semi final and championship game it would work and give schools a place to park their grid program.  It would also insure the hoops survival of the Big East with schools like Georgetown, Villanova, Providence, Marquette and the rest hanging together.  It may be the only viable option in the current college sports climate.

The Big East name is still worth something and can be enhanced with this approach.

S^%$! ESPN and after that sue them and the Pitt president who was negotiating the TV package for the Big East.

[avid1010]

to me it works if it enables us to keep the likes of WV, Louisville, Cincy and UCONN...i'm guessing we loose one.  if we loose more than one, i hope the bball schools jump ship...

[SaveOD238]

A college football playoff system?  I don't understand...

[Abode4life]

Keeping 32 teams in line?  That would be a monstrous headache, and I do not think this is sustainable in the current BCS format.  What is the end-game?  If you split the revenues 32 ways, you would need a gigantic tv deal to make people, especially the good teams, happy.  If the other leagues do morph into 16 team leagues in a few years, they will pick all the decent schools and the remainder would be left in this group.  This will not add value to the Big East.  

[Dawson Rental]

My first reaction is that if they could whittle the divisions down to six teams each for a 24 team conference, they'd be better off.  Even with 24 teams all current Big East teams who want in should make the cut.

[bamamarquettefan]

NCAA rules don't allow a conf semi, only a title game if you have 12 teams as of now

[jtwarrior]

Stupid question, but has anyone tossed around the idea of merging the Big East with the Big XII?  Both conferences have big players in hoops and/or football, and both have had teams poached from other conferences. 

The logistics of this would, of course, be a nightmare, as you span both the south and northeast, and would have a complete clash of cultures relative to student bodies and the like.   But now you have 12 schools with football  and  20+basketball schools.  The TV package should be good to go, especially with the New York and Texas markets in the mix. 

[brewcity77]

It makes sense for the Big East, but why would the Big 12 do that? They have an AQ between 9-10 teams that doesn't seem to be in jeopardy. Why add 6 more teams to take that bid and share the money with when those 6 add little on the football side? I just can't see it.

[bamamarquettefan]

The 32 team conference is growing on me.  Looking at Sagarin's rankings though, only one of the 32 teams is currently in his top 25.

4   Boise State
28   Houston
33   SMU
36   Southern Miss
37   Cincinnati
40   Nevada
44   Tulsa
47   Temple
48   Rutgers

It may be that it takes setting this up to give a "play-in" game to the BCS - though I wonder if Boise would really consider this a better route than simply qualifying like they have been doing as one of the top 5 teams, rather than having to play two playoff games just to get there.

For me, Big East football is just a means to an end.  I want Lville, UConn, Cincy, and if possible WVU to stay in a conference with our strong hoops only block of Nova, MU, Georgetown and St. Johns.  I'm all for adding Xavier, Dayton and Butler if we can do that, but that doesn't substitute for the need to try to keep Lville and UConn.

If this conference gives them a way to keep playing Big East basketball with us, go for it.